Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the Ford Focus Forum, Ford Focus ST Forum, Ford Focus RS Forum forums, you must first register.
Please enter your desired user name, your email address and other required details in the form below.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

Log-in

User Name

Remember Me?

Password

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.

Additional Options

Miscellaneous Options

Automatically parse links in text

Topic Review (Newest First)

09-11-2014 01:19 PM

wideglide

When I saw the subject line, I thought you were talking about getting a tattoo of your car as an owner! I would not get a tat of a Focus on me. Now maybe if I owned a Boss 302....

04-16-2014 11:19 PM

KK_SilverDevil_712

Saw some tribals and strip I might like

03-20-2014 07:00 PM

KK_SilverDevil_712

not the factory ones though...

02-23-2014 05:35 PM

RonMaiden

Faded paint will still shine as that's not the issue and I figure my 15 years working for a body/paint shop should count for something. Not all finishes are created equal and neither is the care the owners give them.
Keep 'em washed and waxed regularly and minimal issues wil show up but from the cars we get in the shop most owners prove otherwise and keeps me busy.

02-23-2014 04:36 PM

Stanley Rockafella

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dgc333

Well my daily driven cars sit outside year round and I have done spot repairs to the paint and removed old graphics on cars that are 7-10 years old and have had no issues with paint fade.

this guy knows what he's talking about! I''ve lived on the prairies for decades and the paint, even after several (-30 with salt and sand exposure) harsh winters, still shines easily when given a little attention (after several owners neglect).

02-22-2014 11:38 AM

RonMaiden

Hey, I call it as I see it and you probably care for your cars better than your average joe but this isn't the case for the masses and you live in the northwest where the sun isn't as intense year round as other parts of the country. Above average care is what it takes to keep your paint fade free and most people aren't that anal so you still see alot of faded paint behind graphics and badges. Location is a big factor along with pollution, salt air and what they throw on the roads in the winter all play a part.

02-22-2014 11:21 AM

Dgc333

Well my daily driven cars sit outside year round and I have done spot repairs to the paint and removed old graphics on cars that are 7-10 years old and have had no issues with paint fade.

I even did a spot repair on my 68 Barracuda that I painted 15 years ago with Dupont Chroma 1 and there was no fading. The UV protection they put in paint these days is very effective at preventing paint fade.

02-19-2014 01:37 PM

RonMaiden

New paint finishes do fade as I just got back from Florida and I saw more than a few examples on cars less than 15 years old. The sun is worse in some regions than others and some are fortunate to have some sort of covered parking but sun still is the number 1 factor in paint degradation but if washed and waxed regularly it should diminish sun damage greatly.

I work part time at a body/paint shop and I can tell you new paint is still susceptible to sun damage.

02-06-2014 10:48 PM

DustyAlex

The 90's graphics were a lot cooler haha :P 94 Escort Wagon SE

01-03-2014 06:12 AM

Dgc333

Quote:

Originally Posted by RonMaiden

Chintzy,poorly done mods hurt resale value period but with the graphics once they do age and it's time to remove them the paint underneath will still be a shade of very new while the rest has faded around the graphics so unless you're replacing them with the same set of vehicle tattoos it'll look like crap.

Ah, no! Modern paint finushes don't fade enough to be noticeable. I have had three cars (two with factory graphics and one I applied myself) that I removed the graphics in the 7-10 year time frame and once ckeaned and waxed there was ZERO difference in the paint.

Focus Fanatics Ford Focus Forum offers many fun ways for you to engage with other Ford Focus Owners from across the world. Whether it be about the aftermarket performance modifications, technical how-to's, European tuned suspension or awesome fuel economy similar to the Audi S3, Ford Fusion and Acura TLX. You can find all Ford Focus and Focus ST related information here. Join our Ford Focus discussion forums and chat with local Focus enthusiasts in your area. Challenger Hellcat - Charger Hellcat